Otis Clifford Olson

Otis C. Olson, 94 of rural Mankato, died peacefully at home September 13, 2020. He was born in rural Wano Township, North Dakota, January 13, 1926, to Henry T. and Bessie (Houge) Olson. He attended rural schools in Wano Township and graduated from high school in Edgeley, ND, in 1944. Otis worked with his father on the farm until 1947 when he moved to Waterloo, IA. On June 18, 1947, he was united in marriage to Marjorie Walter at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA.

They moved to Minneapolis where Otis worked for an industrial door company for 11 years before starting his own industrial door company. He ran Door Engineering & Manufacturing Co. for 25 years, selling it in 1986. Otis designed, engineered, sold, and installed doors which involved traveling over the country supplying doors for many and varied uses.

After he retired, he spent many hours working with the Evangelical Covenant Church (now Crossview Covenant) in North Mankato during an expansion program at that time. He also helped with a building project for JAARS in North Carolina.

Throughout his life, he was interested in flying and the space program. Model airplanes, aircraft design and building has been a lifelong hobby. He also was a voracious reader; if he didn’t know how to do something, he would find a book and learn.

Otis is survived by his children, David (Joan) Olson, Stephen (Barb) Olson, Susan (Lee) Ruotsinoja, Teri Johnson, and Douglas Olson; 12 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years; an infant son; his parents; 3 sisters; 3 brothers-in-law; and a son-in-law.

Celebration of life will be held at 2:30pm, Saturday, October 24, 2020 at Northview ~ North Mankato Mortuary (2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato, MN 56003). Visitation will be held one hour prior. Memorials will be donated to Jungle Aviation and Radio Service (JAARS).